Tips on who and what to put into it

by Eric Likkel

If you're involved in church leadership, inevitably you'll face the question of how to incorporate contemporary praise music into your worship services. That will lead to further questions, such as: What kinds of musicians and instruments do we need to lead the congregation in praise music? What type of music will best serve our ministry? What will it cost?

Dream Up a Band
If you could plan the ideal praise band for your church, what would you include? As a church planter in Seattle, ministering to 20- to 30-something adults, some of whom go to church and some who don't, I have my own take on a dream band. My bias reflects a shift from traditional praise music to nontraditional, because most of the people I lead in corporate worship have grown up with popular music. They've listened to many of its various forms: rock, alternative, grunge, techno, R&B, acid jazz, folk, rap, lounge, reggae, and world beat. So my dream band would use pop music to lead worship.

Musicians with a Beat
Musicians of any age can play in a pop-style praise band, but younger musicians usually do better, probably because they like contemporary music and are more familiar with it. More important than age, though, or even whether someone reads music or plays by ear, is a person's ability to adapt to different types of music.

A talented jazz pianist, for instance, with little experience in pop music, could feel awkward doing rap. An experienced folk singer could be uneasy about working on R&B. Then again, maybe both could learn to appreciate and play new kinds of music. My dream band would include musicians who appreciate many types of music and are willing to learn how to play it.

Swing Singers
How many singers are needed in a praise band depends on what type of music the band will play. Most pop-style praise bands can be led by one or two vocalists, since basically all that's required of them is a good sense of rhythm and the ability to carry a melody.

For alternative rock music, you need a lead singer plus one or two backup voices. R&B music, on the other hand, may require three or four singers who can do tight harmony. Gospel music sounds more like a vocal choir with four-part harmony.

Still, each genre allows variation. For example, a rock tune, which sounds great with one or two lead singers, can sound even better when accompanied by a gospel choir.

The bottom line? In most situations, only one or two singers are necessary for a good praise band, because people listen to the drums for inspiration as much as they listen to the soprano. The important thing is to strive for voices and instruments to work together as co-leaders. Don't make one accompany the other.

Instruments to Buy
A praise band's instruments vary according to the type of music the band plays. The ideal pop praise band would include an acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric bass, electric keyboard, drum set, percussion, and, at times, horns, such as saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and/or flute.

All of those instruments are basic for a praise band, but all aren't absolutely necessary. Praise music can be led well even by a single vocalist playing a piano or guitar, or a trio with an acoustic guitar, upright bass, and drums.

If you're on a tight budget, remember that the musicians you include in your band are more important than the equipment you buy for them. Still, at some point you'll be faced with the task of purchasing instruments and equipment. Before you do, consult musicians you trust to help you make sound choices.

In addition, here are some suggestions you might find helpful in purchasing instruments and sound equipment:

Acoustic guitar. If you're in the market for this instrument, consider the Yamaha FG 4 11S. It's a good, solid instrument retailing for approximately $280. Martin and Gibson still lead the industry with quality instruments, but their guitars usually cost $650 or more. Les Paul, which offers top-of-the-line guitars, may be too pricey for your band. The Fender-Mexican Standard Strat is a more realistic alternative. It's a good-quality electric guitar that retails at about $280.

Electric bass. Fender is the industry leader here. Spending $650 to $750 on a Fender bass is a good investment.

Keyboard. The choices here aren't so simple. Unlike other instruments, such as guitar or bass, the keyboard hasn't yet settled into a predictable niche in the music industry. Keyboard companies, such as Korg, Roland, Yamaha, and Ensoniq, offer a diverse range of products. My advice here is not to invest in the most expensive models that offer all kinds of bells and whistles that you won't use anyway. Instead, look for an instrument with MIDI capability, weighted keys (76-88 keys with a piano touch), and user friendliness—especially if your accompanist is new to the world of digital synthesizers. For a basic keyboard, plan on spending between $2,000 and $3,500.

If you plan to use a sequencer with your keyboard, you might consider a unit that's built right into the instrument. Or you could use MIDI to link up with an external computer sequencer. Start out with a basic keyboard with MIDI capability, which has room for expansion.

Drums. Yamaha, Pearl, Tama, and Drum Workshop all make good acoustic drum sets. Jazz and gospel drummers may want a slightly smaller set than a funk or rock drummer, depending on personal taste. Roland and Yamaha both manufacture electronic drum kits that can be patched directly into a church sound system. That will allow an easier mix of drums with the rest of the band. A quality drum set will cost anywhere from $2,000 to $3,500.

Percussion. Additional percussion instruments, such as shakers, congas, and bongos are worthwhile investments. They can be played by others besides the drummer, thus encouraging more participation.

Microphones. Good vocal microphones are a necessity. One of the most versatile mikes on the market is the Shure SM 57, which retails for about $125. Buy two or three to start; if you need more, add them later.

Good speakers, amps, and monitors are also essential. Because there are so many to choose from, seek advice on them from a trusted expert. You could start with Peavey, which has been around for a long time. Do not buy more speakers than monitors; the praise band needs to hear what it and the congregation sound like.

Mixer. Balancing all of the sound from mikes, amps, monitors, and speakers requires a multichannel mixer. One of the most popular mixing consoles, or sound boards, is the Mackie 1604 VLZ (approximately $1,200). If your praise band has 8 to 12 members, a 16-channel mixer should be more than adequate.

Reminder
A praise band may be acoustic or electric, soft or loud, adagio or allegro, mellow or up tempo. What matters more than the instruments that are in it or the music that it plays is the ministry that it offers. The ultimate praise band helps worshipers respond to God.

So before you outfit your praise band, try this: envision the ultimate praise band, pray about it, then build it one step at a time.

Eric Likkel is a professional saxophone player and a church planter in Seattle, Washington.

Sources for Praise Instruments

Acoustic Guitars Fender 602-596-9690 Gibson 800-283-7135 Martin 800-345-3103 Suzuki 800-854-1594 Drums Concept One Percussions 800-822-9602 Pearl 800-94-PEARL Tama 800-669-8262 Keyboards Alesis Corporation 800-525-3747 Ensonig Corporation 800-553-5151 Kawai America Corporation 800-421-2177 Korg USA 800-335-0800 Kurzweil Music Systems 310-926-3200 Roland 213-685-5141 Suzuki Corporation 800-854-1594 Technics 800-PANTUNE Yamaha 800-711-0745 Mixers Audio-Technica 330-686-2600 Crest Audio 201-909-8700

Gemini Sound 800-476-8633 Roland 213-685-5141 Samson Technologies 800-328-2882 Spirit 800-255-4363 Yamaha 800-771-0745 Wireless Microphones AKG 615-399-2199 Audio-Technica 330-686-2600 Azden Corporation 516-328-7500 Beyerdynamic 516-293-3200 Crown International 800-342-6939 CT Audio 800-282-8346 Gemini Sound Products Corp. 800-476-8633 JBL Professional 800-336-4525 Lectrosonics, Inc. 800-821-1121 LightSPEED Technologies 800-732-8999 Nady Systems 510-652-2411 Samson Technologies 800-328-2882 Shure Brothers 800-25-SHURE Telex Communications, Inc. 800-392-3497 Vega 800-234-6831

Copyright © 1997 by the author or Christianity Today International/Your Churchmagazine. For reprint information call 630-260-6200 or e-mail yceditor@yourchurch.net January/February 1998. Page 20

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